Don't Think
by disneyclassics101
Summary: Don't think. Don't think about it. Don't think about her. Don't think about her pain. Don't think about how you're not there. Just breathe in. Breathe out. Fly... *Disclaimer: I do not own Don Bluth's Thumbelina*


**Don't Think.**

A/N: French translations available at the bottom.

~0~

Breathe in.

Flap wings.

Propel forward.

Breathe out.

Don't think.

Breathe in.

Flap wings.

Propel forward.

Breathe out.

Don't think about it.

Breathe in.

Flap wings.

Propel forward.

Breathe out.

Don't think about her.

Don't think about her pain.

Don't think about how you're not there.

Don't think about the screams of pain she's probably belting out.

Don't think about all the blood that's surely pouring out and staining the sheets.

Don't think about the tears streaming down her face as she fights the pulsation of agony ripping through her body.

Don't think about the fact that you're responsible for the battle she's fighting right now.

Just breathe in.

Breathe out.

"You're highness! You can't go in there!"

It was an accident.

"She needs me!"

They hadn't meant for it to happen.

"Cornelius, darling! Just let the doctors do their job!"

They hadn't put much thought into their actions.

"Listen to her! I need to be there!"

They were just caught up in the moment.

"And what are you going to do about it?"

Even after it happened, it took them a while to figure out the consequences.

"Just let me be with her."

Who could blame them though?

"Your majesty, has anyone called her mother?"

They were still young, just coming into and understanding their responsibilities as young adults.

"No. Would you…?"

When the signs started presenting themselves, they called the doctor right away.

"I'm not going anywhere until I see Thumbelina."

The doctor took his time, just to be sure.

"Stubborn boy."

When he was, he delivered the news swiftly and without preamble.

"I'll take care of it."

They were shocked.

"Thank you, my love. At least someone here is thinking sensibly. Child, stop pacing!"

Tabitha threw a fit when she was told.

"She's in pain!"

Colbert put a supporting hand on Cornelius' shoulder.

"Don't you think I know that?"

Thumbelina's mother offered her services if they were needed.

"This isn't helping anyone."

Thumbelina shed a few tears as new symptoms as time went on.

"I'd be helping if I could be in there with her! She's alone!"

Cornelius could do nothing but give comforting words and embraces.

"She's hardly alone. The doctor is in there with her."

Royal servants tried their best to make Thumbelina's days comfortable.

"As if she's anything but another patient to him."

The royal guard worked overtime to keep the Vale safe during this vulnerable time.

"Of course, she's not just another patient! She's the princess!"

Common fairies couldn't help but gobble up any new news about the princess.

"And my wife! I should be in there with her."

The news had been unexpected after all.

"Of all the preposterous things-"

It was just an accident.

"Your highness?"

A very happy accident.

~0~

Cornelius could barely hold himself back from running into Thumbelina's chambers.

He hadn't been in the Vale when Thumbelina had to frantically call the doctor to her chambers. He wished he had been. In fact, today was the only day of the week in which he chanced leaving Thumbelina alone in their home – well, not really. He always had guards and a maid wandering around – to go out and just ride on the winds weaving through the trees' leaves. He even left Buzzby behind as a form of companion for Thumbelina when he took these breaks.

The breaks weren't even his idea initially. They were Thumbelina's, actually. It came to her to make him go on relaxing outings when he wore himself sick once from all the hovering and worrying he did 24/7 ever since the doctor was first called to check on Thumbelina. He had protested the idea vehemently, and even managed to resist her subtle cues to go outside for a breather when he got too hassled for days afterward, but when Thumbelina and he got into an argument when she announced she was feeling smothered by his constant presence, and he took off to calm down before he said something he'd regret, he had to concede to Thumbelina's point. He had come back later that night feeling more at ease and with a clearer head, and a greater appreciation for Thumbelina's plight as she couldn't just take the day off from her ailments.

It didn't mean he was entirely happy leaving Thumbelina, however. Hence, he and Thumbelina compromised on having a designated day of the week for these breaks.

What a coincidence that it would be the same day he would be most needed by his wife, no matter what his mother said.

When he finally lays his eyes on her, she's sweaty, sleepy, and sagging against the pillows behind her. Her face is red, there are tear tracks down her cheeks, and – despite how much the servants tried to cover it – he could see faint outlines of blood on the sheets. Even so, she's still the most beautiful girl he's ever seen.

Her eyes opened when she heard him come in and she smiled. "Cornelius."

"Thumbelina," he sighed out, his wings upturning from their downtrodden state, and made his way over to her side. He grabbed her hand and caressed her hands. "Are you okay? Are you hurt? You're tired, aren't you? Where-?" He looked around.

Thumbelina cut through his rambling with a shout of his name. He turned to her sharply, expecting an order to get her something. "Turn around." Confused he did so.

Behind him was the doctor, smiling in amusement, carrying a bundle in his arms.

Cornelius looked at the bundle in awe, while Thumbelina watched both her husband and the bundle with love. "Is that…?"

The doctor walked closer. "Prince, Princess, meet the new fairy princess, your daughter." The bundle was placed into Thumbelina's arms.

She was beautiful. A perfect combination of Thumbelina's face and Cornelius' hair, Thumbelina's high cheeks and Cornelius' nose, Thumbelina's lips and Cornelius' eyes. Eyes the same shape and color as his, eyes that looked right into his when they opened sleepily and fixed upon the first thing they saw.

"Oh, Cornelius. Isn't she beautiful?" Thumbelina sighed out happily, despite being tired and fighting the grips of sleep.

Gently placing a hand on his newborn daughter's head, Cornelius replied, " _Une beaut_ _é_ , _vraiment_."

"What shall we name her?"

He stroked her head. "Liliane. My darling Liliane." He kissed the baby's brow, which was protested with a gurgle, making the new and proud father smile.

"Liliane." Thumbelina said, rolling the name along her tongue and liking the way it sounded. "It's perfect. Welcome to the world, Liliane. I'm your _Maman_ and this is your _Papa_."

~0~

Breathe in.

Calm down.

Don't listen.

Breathe out.

Don't look.

"Cornelius!"

Breathe in.

Calm down.

Don't listen.

Breathe out.

Don't look.

"Oh, come on, Cornelius!"

Breathe in.

Calm down.

"Nothing is going to happen."

Don't listen.

"It'd be better if you were watching her."

Breathe out.

"Cornelius, look! Look! She's doing it! She's off the ground."

Don't look.

" _Papa!"_

Oh no.

"Thumbelina, it's too early for this!" Cornelius said, grabbing his daughter out of the air where she hovered unbalanced as Thumbelina guided her with her hands.

Thumbelina, hands now free, crossed her arms and gave her husband a bland look. "It is not too early. Your mother told me you were flying earlier than this!"

"That's different, Thumbelina."

"How?"

"She's my _petite fille_."

Uncrossing her arms and resting her hands on her lips, Thumbelina pursed her lips. "It's not like I'm throwing her off a tree limb and letting her fend for herself."

"I know that." Cornelius frowned, irritated.

"I'm holding onto her the whole time, we're standing on a soft petal, and I'm keeping her low to the ground. She needs to fly sometime."

" _Papa_!Me fly!" Liliane giggled in his arms, waving her arms and accidently hitting her father's lips.

He paused, and then, "I'm standing behind her the whole time."

"Fine by me, _Papa plus ch_ _è_ _re_." Thumbelina changed her stance to smile happily at her daughter. "Let's show _Papa_ how well you can fly, _petite amie_."

Minutes later, after Liliane successfully flew (slowly) from one side of the flower to the other, with only one near tumble from which she quickly righted herself without her father's help, Thumbelina smiled smugly at her husband.

~0~

Breathe in.

Adjust hair.

Check teeth.

Breathe out.

Smile at your reflection.

Breathe in.

Fix suit.

Comb eyebrows.

Breathe out.

" _Papa_?"

Turn around.

" _Papa_ , how do I look?"

"Hmmm…" Cornelius hummed, jokingly. He rubbed at his chin in a thoughtful manner, glancing her over. "Well, you could do without that flower in your hair, and that color just does not suit you at all-"

His six-year-old gasped. " _Papa_! You said fairies don't lie."

"Who said I was lying?" Cornelius smirked, before protesting at the swat his wife gave to his arm. " _Vous_ _ê_ _tes belle_ , Liliane. Almost too _belle_. Are you sure you want to come to the ball? We can always sneak away and fly off to the pumpkin patch by your grandma's house." He offered.

"Cornelius!" Thumbelina said aghast.

"Oh, come on, _amour._ It's not like you want to go either. I told you those balls were more fascinating to the guests than the hosts."

"Even so," She knew he was right, "we can't just run away, _mari_. This is a ball to celebrate our up-coming coronation in two days. How would it look if the stars of the show weren't present?"

"It would look like we were doing more fun things." Cornelius joked. Thumbelina didn't smile. Liliane pulled on his shirt's tail.

"Will Christopher be there? I want to play with him." Liliane asked innocently.

Cornelius mockingly put a hand to his chest, acting wounded. "You want to be with Christopher more than me? More than your father? The one who raised you and changed your clothes and took you places and fed you ice cream behind your _maman's_ back?"

"Nooooo." Liliane moaned out, grabbing at her father's hands. "I always want _Papa_. Christopher is just a friend."

"A friend you like more than me." Cornelius pouted, sitting down dejectedly. He heard Thumbelina try to cover a giggle.

" _Papa_ silly. I love _Papa_ , only like Christopher."

Thumbelina let out an aww at that.

" _Like_?" Cornelius raised an eyebrow, pulling Liliane onto his lap. "You're too young to like boys, missy. Besides," he put his lips closed to his daughter's ear, and whispered the next part, "they've all got cooties." He lightly tickled her tummy, causing her to giggle.

Liliane pushed at his hands, and replied, " _Maman_ says cooties don't exist."

Cornelius shook his head. "Mommy is lying."

"Your _Daddy_ is lying." Thumbelina pipped up, walking closer, thoroughly amused at her husband's antics to isolate their daughter from all the boys he deemed a threat. " _Papa_ just wants you to himself."

"Of course, I do. You're both my _filles pr_ _é_ _cieuses_. I don't want any boys coming around and hurting you, Liliane. Ok?" He looked into her eyes. "You tell me if this Christopher character hurts you, alright? I'll give him a good whack to set him straight." He vowed.

"Cornelius!"

" _Papa_!"

~0~

Breathe in.

Don't panic.

Just search.

Breathe out.

"Liliane!"

Breathe in.

Don't panic.

Just search.

Breathe out.

"Liliane, where are you?"

Breathe in.

Don't panic.

Just search.

Breathe out.

"Liliane, please answer me! Liliane!"

Breathe in.

Don't panic.

You'll find her.

Breathe out.

"Liliane, can you hear me?"

Breathe in.

She's okay.

She's only lost.

Breathe out.

"You're doing great, Buzzby. Let's search over there."

Breathe in.

This isn't the same as last time.

It's not winter.

Breathe out.

"Cornelius! She's not here!"

Breathe in.

You have others helping you look.

You've taught your daughter how to fight.

Breathe out.

"Where could she have gone, Cornelius? Is there a place she showed interest in?"

Breathe in.

She hasn't been kidnapped.

She's just wondered off.

Breathe in.

Wait.

"Thumbelina! We told her about your kidnapping!"

"Yes, we did." Thumbelina replied, confused. "What does that have to do-"

"Remember how she said she wanted an adventure like yours?"

Thumbelina gasped. "I thought we warned her about that!"

"Apparently, not enough." Cornelius said, infinitely upset. He ground his teeth. "She is so grounded when I find her, mark my words."

"Don't be too harsh on her, _cher_. She's only ten. She doesn't know better."

Cornelius scowled at her. "You baby her too much. She does," he stressed the last word, "know better, because I taught her to know better. At least, I thought I did." He pulled at Buzzby's antennae. "Come on, I have an idea of where to look."

A few minutes later would show that Cornelius knew his daughter well. His intuition was correct in that Liliane would surely be at the pond that started Thumbelina's troubles oh so many years ago. Although, she wasn't exactly at the pond, which probably accounted for her missing status as she wandered around overgrown shrubbery almost a meter away. She wasn't alone either. She had with her her best friend, Christopher, and another friend of his, what-ever-his-name-was. Cornelius didn't care. His eyes were zeroed in on his daughter, who now had a look of fright at seeing her father and mother bearing down on her.

"Do you have any idea how much trouble you're in, missy?" Cornelius asked, jumping off of Buzzby and choosing to fly the remainder of the distance to the ground.

"Uh…" Liliane was fortunate enough to have her answer delayed by her mother's sudden hug, not that she had an answer prepared anyway.

Thumbelina pulled back to gaze worriedly into her daughter's eyes. "We were worried sick about you!"

" _Were_ being the key word. Now, I'm upset. Do you have any idea what could have happened to you?" Cornelius pipped up.

Liliane feebly protested with, "I just wanted to-"

She got cut off. "And you!" Cornelius turned an accusing finger on Christopher, who jumped at suddenly being addressed. "I trusted you to keep my daughter safe. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Christopher looked down in guilt, having nothing to say as it seemed to be a good idea at the time.

Cornelius turned to the third party. "I don't even know you!"

"Ames, your highness." He responded, the only one brave enough to answer an irate King.

Cornelius deflated slightly at getting an answer. "Ames. All right then." He grew irate again as he turned to his daughter. "On Buzzby. Now. And you two with Thumbelina. We're discussing this at home." He turned back to Buzzby and grumbled under his breath, "I can't believe this."

Minutes later, all three members of the royal family sat across from each other in the princess' chambers, having sent away the two boys to reunite with their families and receive their own punishments. They spent a tense couple seconds just staring at each other, with Thumbelina attempting to calm her husband down with gentle pats and reassure her daughter with caresses simultaneously.

Cornelius took a deep breath in. "What were you hoping to accomplish, Liliane?"

"Uhhh… Adventure?" Liliane answered sheepishly.

Cornelius stared at her silently.

"It's not like I went alone!" Liliane continued defensibly. Cornelius' eyes narrowed. "Come on, I just wanted to have fun like _Maman_."

"Fun?" Cornelius responded indignant. He tensed to stand up but stopped at a hand on his shoulder. He looked at Thumbelina sharply.

Thumbelina ignored his stare. " _Petite amie_ , I don't know exactly what part of the story you find so interesting but I wasn't having any fun. I was scared. I wanted to be home. I wanted to be with _Grand-m_ _è_ _re_ or your _Papa_. We told you this story so you'd be careful— "

"And not run off." Cornelius interjected. Thumbelina sent him a look.

"—and stay within the Vale where your _Papa_ and I could reach you quickly if anything like that were ever to happen to you. We didn't tell you— "

"—Just so you could go looking for it!" Cornelius shouted, unable to keep back from saying anything. Liliane got a look of exasperation that thoroughly resembled Cornelius' own. "And you were definitely not supposed to take your friends along on this quest of yours! Do you have any idea how worried we were? You have no idea what kind of thoughts raced through my mind. I thought I wouldn't be able to find you for months! That'd you'd been kidnapped, held hostage, sold off, forced into whatever!"

"It's not like I went defenseless! I took my sword!"

"I gave that to you for cases of emergency! Not to go searching for willy-nilly _dangerous_ 'adventure'."

Liliane led out a grunt of anger. "You used to be so much cooler! You never take me anywhere anymore." She stalked off.

"Where do you think you're going?" Cornelius ground out.

"Away!" Liliane responded, then slammed the wooden bark door that led to her private chamber pot and bathing area.

Cornelius stalked to the door. "Grounded! Until the next new moon!" He shouted through the bark.

" _Tout ce que_!" came a muffled response.

Thumbelina sighed behind him.

~0~

Breathe in.

Square shoulders.

Sigh heavily.

Breathe out.

Open door.

Breathe in.

Approach.

Sit down.

Breathe out.

"You hurt your mother, you know." Cornelius commented, crossing his arms as he stared down at his daughter, not caring that she lay petulantly across her bed after hearing the news. He had thought his daughter would be ecstatic at the news. After all, she had been asking for one since she was little and witnessed her friends having some, but it seemed she had grown out of that phase long ago, if her little cry of dismay and judgmental words earlier were anything to go by.

Cornelius guessed he could see why. He himself had wanted a sibling when he was very young, when everyone in the immediate vicinity was years older than he, at least until he realized that any addition to the family meant divided attention from his parents.

"We won't love you any less, Liliane." Cornelius expressed, thinking that that was the source of the problem.

"That's not it!" Liliane shouted out, turning her head to give her father a brief glare before tucking her head back into her crossed arms.

Cornelius was confused. "Than what is it?"

"It—Nothing. Never mind."

"Liliane…" Cornelius groaned out. "Look, I'm not good at this whole 'girl talk', but your mother is currently crying in our room much like you are here and I'd really like to know why. We thought you'd like having a sibling to play with."

Liliane huffed. "I'm not a little girl anymore, _Papa_. I don't want to play."

"Oh, so that wasn't you and your friends I found having a water fight in the nearby pond the other day?" Cornelius teased.

" _Papa_!" Liliane moaned, embarrassed. "It's not the same! We didn't have any little kid around demanding our attention."

"Oh." Cornelius said wonderingly. "So, you just don't want to be stuck with an annoying brat that'd embarrass you in front of your friends?"

"No!" Liliane huffed, annoyed that her father didn't get it.

"Than what _is it_?" Cornelius was getting annoyed now. He crossed his arms to show his displeasure.

"You wouldn't understand." Liliane grumbled.

"Because I'm an only child?"

"Yes."

"Then make me understand. What's the problem?"

"You're a boy." Liliane stated.

"I would sure hope so." Cornelius replied, smirking when Liliane's lips pulled further down.

"Be serious, _Papa_! You're a boy. You were an only child. You were the _Prince héritier_!"

"What's your point?"

"What if the baby is a boy too?" Liliane shouted in despair.

Cornelius was slowly starting to see the problem, but not wanting to come to the wrong conclusion, asked "What's so wrong with having a brother?"

"Everyone will like him more than me." Liliane said tearfully. "People only like me because I'm the only royal child for now."

"And you think the Vale will be more inclined to a male heir." Cornelius stated. Liliane nodded her head meekly. Cornelius sighed. "I'm sorry, Liliane. I wish I could say the Court wouldn't prefer a male heir." Cornelius admitted, sitting down next to his daughter to wrap an arm around her. She leaned into the embrace. "But I know for sure that that doesn't mean everyone will suddenly dislike you now."

"Yes, they will."

"No, they won't. See, just because you're a royal child doesn't mean the people are obligated to love you."

"They have to be nice."

"They respect you because _you_ respect _them_. You haven't been treating them horribly, have you?"

"Of course not!"

"Then why wouldn't they like you? See, the people wouldn't turn on someone they find nice and honorable. And what of Christopher? Did you think he'd stop wanting to be your friend? It's not like he'd want to be friends with a baby."

Liliane tilted her head down. "What if he became my friend because I'm the princess?"

Cornelius frowned. "Hey now, you can't think that way. You'll end up alone if you think everyone had ulterior motives for talking to you."

Liliane sniffed. "He better not have."

"I'll throw him into the dungeons if he does." Cornelius said confidently.

Liliane tugged hard at her father's hand in displeasure.

"Ok, I won't but I'd definitely have a few words with him." Cornelius rubbed his hand up and down her arm. "And we don't even know if the baby is a boy yet. You might be getting worked up for nothing."

"You don't know that it's not a boy."

"Look, _petite amie_. I know it sounds like the best thing in the world, being a Queen, having power, all this money, being like your _Maman_ is now, but it can be the most boring and annoying job in the world."

Liliane snorted. "Oh please. You get to throw parties whenever you want. Everyone does everything you say. You can do whatever you want."

"Ha! That's what you think! Don't you remember how I met your mother? You think I'd run away from my responsibilities if all I did was party, dance, and frolic around? You're greatly mistaken."

"I don't see how public counsels with the people to hear their problems or having dinners with foreign visitors or having to listen to reports on the economy is so bad."

"Oh yeah? How about having to do mountains upon mountains of paper work every day before I'm allowed to eat dinner with my family? How about having to watch what I say and act lest I accidently offend those foreign visitors? Or having to watch what strategies I use to come up with the best yield and profit possibly for our economy, monitoring the lords that watch over more distant villages for potential corruption, honoring all treaties and making up with contingency plans in case we ever must engage in a war? Or how about how I still have to attend lessons to stay to date on languages, history, and inventions? I must keep physically in shape as well and who do you think has to direct those parties you so love to attend? Not only that, I must keep watching my back and my family's back in case a spy or traitor is amongst us. Being the _Prince h_ _è_ _ritier_ and later _Roi_ is a dangerous and stressful job and I sometimes wish I had had an older brother so I could have lived with your _Maman_ on her mother's farm instead."

"…oh." Liliane wiggled a little, not having thought about it that way. Behind her, Cornelius secretly smiled at having gotten through to her. He put back on an impassive face when Liliane pulled away and turned to look at him. "I want to name it."

"We'll see."

~0~

Breathe in.

Fix glare.

Raise eyebrow.

Breathe out.

Cross arms.

Breathe in.

Glance him over.

Make him squirm.

Breathe out.

Stand up.

Breathe in.

Walk forward.

Stand stiffly.

Breathe out.

Question him.

"So, _Christopher_ , what makes you think you're worthy of my daughter?"

" _Papa_!" Liliane cried indignantly. "Don't scare him away," hissed the fourteen-year-old quietly. "I really like him."

Cornelius wasn't at all discreet with his reply. "If he is man enough, and loves you enough, I won't be able to scare him away," he directed to his daughter, before turning and addressing the young man once more, "So again, why should I allow you to court my daughter?"

"Well, sire, sir," Christopher wriggled his hands together, barely able to look into the eyes of his ruler so instead bowed his head, and replied with what he hoped was enough to appeal to the fair and just King's heart, "I know that I don't have the riches, or title, or extensive schooling that should rightfully be your princess' due, but I love your daughter dearly, sir, and I will make utterly sure to strive to give her life's comfort and make her happy, if you allow it, sir." He bowed deeply.

Cornelius raised an eyebrow and asked sharply, "If I allow it?"

Christopher gulped. "Yes…?"

"So, if I forbid this courtship, you'd leave her alone?"

" _Papa_!"

"Cornelius…" sighed the Fairy Queen from her place at the thrown.

"Well?"

Christopher hesitated, glanced at Liliane and stood slowly, wondering if what he said next would make him an enemy of the King. "With all due respect, sir…"

"Is that a no?"

"Yes."

"It's a yes?"

"Ye-No. My answer is no." Christopher tried not to squirm.

Christopher tried not to squirm as the Fairy King got closer, and he had to look up to look straight into his eyes. "No? You'd disrespect your King?"

"That," Christopher began before pausing, glancing quickly over at Liliane again, who stood off to the side frowning occasionally at her father and smiling encouragingly at her beau, and changed course, "I wish to court your daughter, sire. I love Liliane. And frankly, sir, it would make your daughter happy if we had your blessing to court and get married, but if we don't, no, I will not stop loving her or visiting her." He stood as straight as he could as he waited to hear his fate.

Cornelius hummed, and stared right at the young man with a stern face, giving nothing away of his dismay at the fact that his daughter was growing up. He had not been expecting this day so soon. Though, truthfully, he should have as his daughter was at the age his wife had been when he first met her, and this Christopher character was at the age he had been at the time too. Still, he hadn't been anticipating waking up that morning to his daughter announcing she had plans to court her childhood friend. If he had known their friendship would lead to a more _romantic_ relationship he might have tried to separate them more, kept his daughter away, in hopes of delaying the inevitable. Still, if his daughter just _had_ to choose a suitor, at least she had chosen someone Cornelius had witnessed grow up, and thus, someone who had been under his watchful eyes. He preferred it being the boy he had to frequently send home once it got too dark to play in the past than some random boy he had never heard of or seen before.

"Do you know where your beloved Queen came from?" Cornelius asked, confusing his audience at the seemingly random question.

"The human village?"

"A farm." Cornelius corrected. "I found my dear wife as she was dancing on her windowsill of her mother's house at a farm." He walked back to said wife, and held her hand as he sat back down. Liliane stood next to her beau as they both faced the King. "I didn't pay attention to where she was at the time, what she was wearing, where she grew up, or what her station in life was. All I saw was a beautiful girl with a beautiful voice and an even more beautiful personality to boot. I fell in love with her instantly. She didn't need to have 'riches', a 'title', or 'extensive schooling'. I just needed her."

Thumbelina, although having heard praises and sweet nothings for more than a decade now, blushed hearing his appraisal.

Liliane leaned on her chosen, and whispered, " _Papa_?"

Christopher gazed on, with growing hope. " _Mon roi_?"

"If I ever find out you hurt her in anyway, I'll come after you with my sword. Understood?" Cornelius said sternly.

"You'll never have to." Christopher assured him, shaking his head along with his words. Liliane grabbed his hand, biting her lip to futilely stop her smile from spreading.

"Good." Cornelius said sharply, before suddenly smiling. "There is a ball coming up to celebrate a successful harvest this year, I expect you to escort my daughter in."

"Of course, sir." Christopher said, smiling now and bowing briefly. "I'll take good care of her."

Liliane giggled excitedly, jumping slightly from next to her chosen, before she launched herself into her father's arms. "Thank you, _Papa_!" She kissed his cheek. " _Je t'aime_." She grinned and flew back to Christopher, grabbing his hand and pulling him along in the direction of the door. "We're off to meet up with our friends, ok?"

Cornelius frowned. "Uh, wait. _Ch_ _éri_ , it's time for-" She was gone. "Oh, never mind." He sat back and sighed, rubbing a hand down his face. Thumbelina giggled next to him. "And what's so funny?"

"You." Thumbelina answered, reaching over and grabbing his arm to run a soothing hand down to his hand. She placed her other hand on his cheek to turn his head in her direction. "She reminds me of you when you were younger."

Cornelius snorted. "No, she is definitely just like you. That Christopher, though," He wagged a finger in the air and nodded to where he and Liliane were last seen, "he is definitely like me." He puffed out his chest and smirked, "I was far braver though."

Thumbelina shook her head briefly at his cheekiness before answering. "But just as in love with Liliane as you are with me."

With sudden suspicion, Cornelius squinted and accused her with, "You knew about this, didn't you?"

Thumbelina smiled at being caught. "Maybe."

Cornelius scoffed. "Should've known."

Thumbelina snickered. "You know who you sound like, right?" She tensed up in preparation.

Sensing this, Cornelius cautiously asked, "What do you mean?"

Thumbelina shifted, said, "You sound just like your mother," and launched out of her chair toward the doorway as Cornelius gasped in horror at her words.

"You take that back, Thumbelina!" He flew after her. "Thumbelina!"

Her laughter echoed off the ways as her indignant husband reached out to grab her and missed.

~0~

A/N: I hope Cornelius didn't come off as being OOC. His personality here is based heavily on the scene where he is talking to his parents. I felt Cornelius would act a little sweeter around the girl he has a crush on, as we do in RL, and so I used that scene as a focal point on how he'd act once they grew comfortable together in married life, especially after adding children to the mix. Either way, I hope you as the reader enjoyed this fic.

French dictionary:

 _Une beauté, vraiment_ = A beauty, indeed

 _Maman_ = Mom/mother

 _Papa_ = Dad/Father

 _Petite fille_ = Baby girl

 _Papa plus chère_ = Daddy dearest

 _Petite amie_ = Sweetheart

 _Vous êtes belle_ = You are beautiful

 _Belle_ = Beautiful

 _Amour_ = Love

 _Mari_ = Husband

 _Filles précieuses_ = Precious girls

 _Cher_ = Dear

 _Grand-m_ _è_ _re_ = Grandma

 _Tout ce que_ = Whatever

 _Prince héritier_ = Crown Prince

 _Mon roi_ = My King

 _Je t'aime_ = I love you

 _Chéri_ = Darling

Liliane = French name meaning beauty, peace

Ames = French name meaning companion

*Note: translations are from Google Translate and may not be completely accurate. I did my best to get the actual phrase needed.


End file.
